When and how did you start playing rugby?Started my freshman year of college when i got cut from the softball team. A basketball team encouraged me to give it a try.

What is the best thing about being a USA pool player?Being about to compete at the highest level and represent my country.

Significant Non-Rugby Achievements

4-year varsity letter winner UW-Whitewater Women's basketball team

Team enforcer winner

What does representing your country mean to you?It's an honor and not many can say they play rugby for their national team. In another sport I would not have this opportunity.

Zdanczewicz received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in exercise science. She was also a member of the women's basketball team, becoming a four-year letter winner.

Before going to Milwaukee, Zdanczewicz worked as a Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Manager at Bally Total Fitness in Richfield, Minnesota, for seven years - six of those years as a personal trainer and one year as Fitness Manager. In part of working full-time, she also became an Assistant Varsity Basketball Coach at Benilde St. Margarets (2004-2011), where she implemented strength and conditioning programs for in- and out-of-season workouts, as well player development for post play, defense and pre workout. Zdanczewicz helped guide BSM to two state titles in 2006 and 2009 and third place finishes in 2007 and 2010. She worked with players that moved onto the next level in their collegiate careers at the Division I, II and III levels.

During this time she was also competing on the international stage for the Women’s Eagles, playing in two Women’s Rugby World Cups in 2006 and 2010. She has been playing competitively for 13 years and 11 of those years at the international level, earning 19 international caps and captaining the Eagles in 2007 and 2008.

Zdanczewicz is USAW Sports Performance Certified. She now resides in Greendale, Wisconsin, with family and is excited to be the Asst. Strength and Conditioning Coach for UW-Milwaukee. She works directly with the Men’s & Women’s Swimming & Diving, Women’s Soccer, Women’s Volleyball and Women’s Tennis teams throughout the year, overseeing the team's strength and conditioning programs both in and out of season.